“Mamma Mia!” replaced “The Dark Knight” as the top-selling DVD in the United States, according to Nielsen VideoScan data issued Wednesday.

The Batman sequel, released December 9, remains the top-selling video release of the year, with an estimated worldwide total of 13.5 million units sold its first week out, 1.7 million of them on the nascent Blu-ray Disc format.

On trade publication Home Media Magazine’s rental chart, top honors went to “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,” which also bumped “The Dark Knight” to No. 2. “Mamma Mia!” debuted at No. 3.

“Dark Knight” remained the No. 1 Blu-ray Disc seller for the second week, according to Nielsen VideoScan. “The Mummy” debuted at No. 2, with “Mamma Mia!” at No. 3.

Not only is the movie musical “Mamma Mia!” breaking records all over the world, but the DVD of that film looks like it will be setting some new records of its own.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment sold over 2.25 million units of the “Mamma Mia!” DVD on Dec. 16, bringing in $30 million in the U.S.

“Mamma Mia!” is already the fastest-selling DVD in the U.K. after first-day sales on Nov. 24 reached 1.6 million units; the previous record holder was “Titanic.” In its first week of release in the U.K., the DVD sold 3.2 million units.

In a statement Craig Kornblau, president Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platform, said, “Adding spectacular star power to the record-breaking popularity of the global stage hit and the unforgettable music of ABBA has made ‘Mamma Mia! The Movie’ the must-see film event of the year. That unbeatable combination has created extraordinary demand for the new DVD and Blu-ray releases, as demonstrated by its phenomenal success in the U.S. and all over the world.”

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Following a record-breaking opening in the U.K., “Mamma Mia!” opened in cinemas nationwide July 18. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd, which marked her feature-film debut. Lloyd helmed both the London and Broadway mountings of Mamma Mia!

Using the catalogue of ’70s pop group ABBA, the plot tells the story of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan, who hopes to discover her father’s identity on the eve of her wedding. She brings three men from her mother Donna’s past back to the Greek island they last visited 20 years previously.

The show and film feature music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Since the original London production opened in 1999, the musical has grossed over $2 billion worldwide.

The film, according to the Universal Pictures website, is described as such: “An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends-practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski)-from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own.

“On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.”

source: playbill.com

Mamma Mia! comes out on DVD next week so make sure you pick up a copy!

A deluxe version of the CD of the international hit film “Mamma Mia!,” along with a behind-the-music DVD, will be released Nov. 25 by Decca.

The “Mamma Mia!” collector’s package will feature the soundtrack to the hit film, which boasts 17 classic ABBA songs performed by Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skasgârd, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper.

Also included is a DVD that “provides an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the recording sessions in London with the cast, as well as commentary by ABBA’s musical masterminds Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus,” according to press notes.

The CD/DVD package, which has a retail price of $24.98, will also boast a photo booklet and bonus music video for “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme,” starring Seyfried and Cooper.

Following a record-breaking opening in the U.K., “Mamma Mia!” opened in cinemas nationwide July 18. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who is making her feature-film debut. Lloyd helmed both the London and Broadway mountings of Mamma Mia!

Using the catalogue of ’70s pop group ABBA, the plot tells the story of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan, who hopes to discover her father’s identity on the eve of her wedding. She brings three men from her mother Donna’s past back to the Greek island they last visited 20 years previously.

The show and film feature music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Since the original London production opened in 1999, the musical has grossed over $2 billion worldwide.

The film, according to the Universal Pictures website, is described as such: “An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends-practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski)-from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own.

“On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.”

source: playbill.com

Universal Pictures’ Mamma Mia! The Movie is about to become the most successful British film of all time at Britain’s box office taking over Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The Broadway musical’s British adaptation recently reached 66,995,244, making it the second highest-grossing film of all time in Britain after James Cameroon’s Titanic (which grossed more than 69 million), reports contactmusic.com.

“For Mamma Mia! to become the top grossing British film at the UK box office is fantastic. The quality of the filmmaking and resonance of this feel-good story have made Mamma Mia! , like the stage play, truly a global phenomenon, said David Kosse, president of Universal Pictures International.

He added: “Since its release in July we’ve seen people around the world coming back to see the film again and again. We’re absolutely delighted with this box office record.”

Directed by Phillip Jameson, the film stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard and has also become the number one film of the year in 13 other countries, namely Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Cyprus and Sweden.

Based on the songs of Swedish pop music group Abba, the musical - written by Catherine Johnson with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus - tells of a young girl’s (Amanda Seyfried) wedding on a Greek island, to which she invites the three men who could be her father (Brosnan, Firth and Skarsgard).

source: ndtvmovies.com